Winter here means months of rain. By March, the house has been wet for a long time. Spring is when you find out what that did, and fix the small things before summer asks you to paint, stain and seal.
Spring dries out slowly on this coast. Environment Canada's climate normals for Abbotsford Airport show about 16 days with rain in an average April, against about 7 in July. So spring is for looking, fixing and cleaning. The coating jobs wait for a dry run, and my summer home maintenance checklist picks those up.
Spring home maintenance checklist: what winter left behind
Start with a slow walk around the outside on the first dry weekend. Take your phone and photograph anything that looks different from last fall.
- Siding, trim and corner boards that came loose or split in a windstorm
- Paint that peeled or bubbled over the winter, especially on the lowest boards
- Fence posts that lean after a winter in wet soil, and gates that now drag
- Soft spots at the bottom of door frames and on window sills
- Stains on the siding under windows, vents or the edge of the roof
- Downspouts that come loose or empty right beside the foundation
Peeling paint on the bottom course is often the first sign of rot, and my guide on siding rotting at the bottom covers what to check. A window sill that stayed wet all winter is its own job, covered in window condensation and sill rot.
Every job I take gets a written scope before I start, so the price is agreed in advance and the list stays the list.
Want me to take this one on? My page on home repairs covers what the visit includes, what I hand off, and how I price it.
Turn the outdoor taps back on
If you shut off and drained the outdoor taps last fall, as my fall home maintenance checklist suggests, spring is when they come back on. Do it slowly and watch.
- Close the outside tap first, then open the shut-off valve inside the house
- Open the outside tap and let it run for a minute
- Go back inside and look at the wall and ceiling behind the tap for drips or damp
- Check the tap itself for a drip from the spout or the handle once it is closed
- Put the hose back on and check that washer too
A tap that froze in a cold snap can crack where you cannot see it, inside the wall. Finding that in April, with the valve right there to close again, beats finding it in July. A leak inside the wall is a plumber's call, and my guide to water damage warning signs covers what it can leave behind.
Clear the moss and check the deck
Moss and algae grow all winter on shaded steps, walks and decks, and they are slippery when wet. Scrape the worst of it and wash the rest once you get a dry spell. How often to pressure wash covers which surfaces can take pressure and which need a soft wash. I also book pressure washing in Surrey and nearby towns if you want it off your list.
Then walk the deck. A winter of rain is when a deck shows its weak spots.
- Press on boards near the house, around posts and at the stairs. Soft means rot.
- Push and pull on every railing post and on the stair handrail. None should move.
- Check the stair treads and stringers, where water sits longest
- Look underneath where the deck meets the house, if you can get there
- Note any board that has split, cupped or lifted a screw
A loose railing is the one to fix first, before the deck fills up with people in summer. Whether a tired deck needs boards or a rebuild is what my guide on deck repair or replacement sorts out. Board and railing fixes fall under my deck repair in Langley and across my service area.
Caulk, screens and doors once it dries
These jobs want a dry surface and a few dry days. Wait for a forecast that gives you one.
- Re-caulk any exterior joint that cracked or pulled away over winter. Check the tube for the lowest temperature it allows.
- Patch or replace torn window and door screens before the bugs arrive
- Clean the window and patio door tracks, and fix any lock that stopped catching
- Check doors that stuck in the damp. Some settle on their own as things dry out.
- Swap any weather stripping that tore, now that the doors are opening more
Window track and lock fixes and door alignment are part of my home repairs work. See home repairs in Langley or home repairs in Abbotsford for how I handle a spring list in each town.
